[rating=2.50]
The trio of Dan McCurry, Nick Jenkins and Ash Hopkins comprise the Charleston, South Carolina group Run Dan Run and their newest album Normal is a slice of danceable white indie rock. Songs run long with hazy/lazy intros each containing a light airy vibe even when the lyrics border on vengeful.
The first proper track (after an “Intro”) is the albums standout winner; “Lovesick Animal” takes repetitive lyrics but paces them over some fantastic musical passages containing brass, bubbling bass and ethereal guitars. There are some screechy background vocals and a trombone line that make up a wordless chorus adding a cool twist in an already catchy track. When the horns come back to take the song home there is a sense of accomplishment contained within the musical smile. “Lovesick Animal” is a very early musical highlight for 2012.
Not everything lives up to that though as “Anonymous Girl” has cheesy keyboard sounds and lyrics that flaunt low key, wet noodle misogyny. The pairing of the easy, at times delicate, music with angry lyrics like on “Finger & Fist” just doesn’t match up well. “In Parts” the album closer sounds tacked on; it doesn’t leave any lasting feeling as the album closes an overall problem of the disk.
There are other tracks that leave do favorable impressions though, “False-Hearted Lover” plays like walking up and down a small hill with its 2:30 intro that rises to a climax before a soothing outro eases you down. “Fresh Faces” buzzes and twinkles while “Spelling Words” is dreamlike.
It wouldn’t be surprising for Run Dan Run to sell “Lovesick Animal” to Hyundai or some other company, and continue with their trance like rock. Allowing the songs to pleasantly roll out, and not overstay their welcome.
